Motion converting mechanism



Patented Oct. 3l, 1944 UNITED STATE s PATE-Nr or-Flca MOTION CONVEBTINGMECBIANIBM Morton B. Crowe, Tulsa, and Henryv Batter, Okrnulgee. Okla.,signore ofthlrtyper cent to Hughey Baker and twenty per cent to EugeneFingerlln Appueeuen neeember 2,1, 194s, serial Ne. 51u64 (ci. 'x4-51)7Claims.

The invention may be applied to various uses,`

as for operating reciprocating sucker rods in well pumps, aircompressors, jig saws, hack saws, planes, and various other analogouspurposes. These suggested uses of the invention do not constitute alimitation. On the contrary, the speciilc disclosure of the inventionand its novel mode of operation should suggest other uses to which theinvention may well beusefully applied.

Objects-of the invention are to provide an improved mechanism forgenerating or imparting reciprocating movements to different articles,devices or mechanisms and comprising a powerdriven rotary shaft havingtwo.opposite1y inclined spiral grooves that cross or intersect eachother along diametrically opposite portions of said shaft and which arecontinuous and endless in the particular that each opens into the otherat one selected point and then continues in the' ,reverse directionthrough .said other groove to another and opposite point ofintercommunication of said grooves; to provide a connecting devicewhereby said shaft may be rotated continuously in one direction whileheld from longitudinal or axial displacement in supporting bearings forsai aft; to provide a reciprocating frame between said bearings havingconnections for impartingy reciprocating movements to the article.device or mechanism tof be .reciprocated (such, for instance, as thosesuggested or others) to provide respective leader and follower membersin said frame and having pivotal connectionv rically opposite portionsof endless intersecting grooves formed in said shaft whereby a balancednon-percussive reciprocating movement is imparted to said frame by the'continuous rotation of said shaft in one direction, and thereby to theultimate article, device', or mechanism to be reciprocated.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention should be apparentfrom the following description, reference being made to the annexeddrawing, in which- Fig 1 is. a side elevation =showing a preferredembodiment of our present invention, parts being broken away and shownin section.

Fig. 2 is another side elevation at 90 from that shown in Fig. l withpartsbroken away and i shown in section.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the follower and leadermembers in their relative positions when moving vin the oppositedirection lrangement shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line L-I of Fig. 2. i

Fig. 5 is a view showing the two'nut or shoe elements detached from theleader and follower members to which they are pivoted.

The power-driven rotary drive shaft i has two spiral grooves 2 and i ofuniform depth and width,

30 extending around the shaft in reverse directions with each other andwith said frame whereby one l of said members leads and the otherfollows dur' ing operation of the device; and to provide nut or shoeelements connected with said members, re-

spectively, and lengaginglin said grooves alter,-A

' Anately during continuous rotation of said shaft thereby reversing thedirections of movement of said frame, with the result that said frame isreciprocated by continuous rotationV of said shaft in one directionAnother object of the invention is to provid novel mechanism for'generating or imparting reciprocating movements by continuous rotationof a shaft in one direction, comprising' a frame mounted forreciprocation by said shaft and hav-` ing a pair of relatively movablemembers, in combination with a pair of elements attached to saidmembersand engaging successivelyI in diamet- 4so that said grooves intersecother. .These grooves are of equal and uniform width and depth.'andextend along the shaft a distance equal to the distance in which theultimate article, device or mechanism is to be moved or reciprocated ineach direction. The grooves communicate with each other throughconnections 4 .which constitute intercommunicating passages throughwhich there/spective shoe elements from one groove tof the other. Theshaft I journalled for rotation inl and held from endwise movement inbearings 5 and Said shaft is equipped with a` clutch member "l or otherdevice whereby it may be rotated con@I stantly in one directioir bypower mechanism (not shown). Thedirection of rotation of said shaftri isindicated by the arrow l.

A reciprocating/frame is mounted adjacent toi' members l and I0A byremovable and replaceable y fasteners. i?, orotherwise. Said-frame maybe' from that in which they are Amoving in the arand cross eachconnected with the ultimate article, device or mechanism to bereciprocated by a link or yoke device I3 or other appropriateconnection.

Leader member I4 and a follower member i 5 are mounted in thereciprocating frame for 5 movements relative to each other and relativeto said frame, and are operatively connected with the shaft I within thegrooves 2 and 3 for operation thereby to impart reciprocating movementsto said frame. The leader member I4 and the follower member I5 aremounted at diametrically opposite sides of the shaft I and preferablyout of contact with said shaft so that said members may be movedrelative to each other, to said shaft, and to said reciprocating frame,without substantial frictional or other resistance. Said leader memberI4 and follower member I5 are pivotally connected together by a pair oflinks I6 extending across diametrlcally opposite sides of the shaft Iand out of contact therewith; and are pivotally connected with saidframe by studs Il projecting from said links and pivotally engaging inholesv in the frame side members II. Thus, said frame will bereciprocated by longitudinal reciprocating movements of the leader andfollower members I4 and I5. Other links I 8 pivotally connect endportions of the leader member I4 with corresponding end portions of thefollower member I5, but do not have pivotal or other connection with thereciprocating frame. Said links I 8 prevent relativel disarrangement ofthe members I4 and I5.

The leader member I4 and the follower member I5 each supports a nut orshoe element for engaging in the grooves 2 and 3 successively andalternately during rotation ofthe shaft I.` These two .nut or shoeelements are shown apart from the leader and follower members in Fig. 5.Each consists of an arcuate nearly semi-circular portion I9 having aninternal rib or flange 20 for engaging in the grooves 2 and 3alternately and successively during rotation of the shaft I. Eacharcuate nut or shoe element also includes a radially projecting lug 2lpivoted to the adjacent leader member I4 or follower member I5, as thecase may be. -That is, one of said two nut or shoe elements is pivotedto the leader member I 4, and the other of said two nut or shoe elementsis pivoted to the follower member I 5. These two nut or shoe elementspartially encircle adjacent portions ofthe shaft I and, because of theirengagement in the grooves 2 vand 3, they are moved longitudinally alongsaid shaft when said shaft is rotated. This movement continues in onedirection'until the nut or shoe element that 55 is connected with theleader member I4 reaches and passes into and through theintercommunication 4 and thereby passes from the groove 2 into thegroove 3, or vice versa. Then the leader member I4 begins to move in theopposite'direction while the follower member I5 continues to move in theflrst'direction until its nut or shoe element reaches and passes intoand through the intercommunication 4, whereupon said follower` begins tomove in said opposite direction. Thus, it will be seen that the memberI4 is always in advance of the. member I5, so that said member I4 isproperly termed the leader member and the member I5 is properly termedthe follower member. l

In our invention, the actuators for the reciprocating frame are disposedat diametrically-opposite sides of the shaft I. 'I'he fact that thedirection of movement of the leader member I4 is reversedl'and movementthereof in the opposite 7 direction is initiated before the followermember I5 enters the intercommunicating connection 4, positivelyprevents any percussive action or e'ect of or upon the reciprocatingframe at the ends of its movements in opposite directions. This enablesthe ultimate article, device or mechanism to be reciprocated uniformlyand symmetrically without percussive action or effect, and without sharpsuddenly arrested pulls or jerks. This is highly desirable in mostinstances because it avoids the damaging and injurious effects ofpercussions, sharp suddenly arrested pulls and jerks, extends andprolongs the durability and life of the mechanism, and for other knownreasons.

From the foregoing, it should be apparent that our invention attains allof its intended objects and .purposes most efliciently andsatisfactorily. We do not restrict ourselves in unessential particulars,but contemplate equivalent variations in the construction and operationof the device without departure from the nature and principle of theinvention as dei'lned by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Mechanism of the character described comprising a drive shaftsupported for constant ro'- tation in one direction and having twogrooves extending spirally in reverse directions and intersecting andcrossing each other, a frame adjacent to said shaft, two membersconnected with said frame for longitudinal movement relative to eachother and to said shaft, and shoe elements attached to said membersrespectively and engaging in said grooves alternately and successivelyduring constant-rotation of said shaft in said one direction, therebyimparting said rela-4 tive longitudinal movements to said members andalso imparting reciprocating movements to said frame and preventingpercussion of said frame at the ends of said reciprocating movementsthereof. I

2. Mechanism of the character described comprising a, pair of spacedbearings, a shaft journalled in said bearings for constant rotation inone direction and having two grooves extending spirally in reversedirections and intersecting and crossing each other, a frame supportedfor longitudinal movements along said shaft between said bearings, twomembers mounted in said frame at opposite sides of said shaft, meanspivotally connecting said members withl each other and with said framefor longitudinal movements relative to each other and to said frame andto said shaft, shoe elements attached to said members respectively andengaging in said grooves alternately I and successively during constantrotation of said shaft in said one direction, thereby imparting saidrelative longitudinal movements to said members and also impartingreciprocating movements to said frame and preventing percussion of saidframe at the ends of said movements thereof in opposite directions, andmeans connected with said frame for imparting a recipro-v membersmounted in said frame at opposite sides of said shaft, elementspivotally connecting said two members with each other and with saidframe and leaving. said members free for longisaid frame and to saidshaft, and shoe elements pivotally connected with said membersrespectively and engaging in said grooves alternately -and successivelyduring constant rotation of said shaft in said one direction, therebyimparting said relative longitudinal movements to said members and alsoimparting reciprocating movements to and preventing percussion of saidframe at the ends of said movements thereof in opposite directions. i

4. Mechanism of the character described comprising a shaft supported forconstant rotation in one direction and havingtwo grooves extendlngspirally in reverse directions and intersecting and crossing each other,a frame mounted on said shaft for longitudinal reciprocating move`ments, two members located in said frame at diametrically opposite sidesof said shaft, links pivotally connecting said two members with eachother and ,with said shaft and leaving said two members free forlongitudinal movements relative to each other and to said frame and tosaid shaft, other connections between said members preventing relativedisplacement thereof, and Y prising two axially alinedibearingsseparated by an intervening space, 'a shaft journalled in said bearingsfor constant rotation in one direction and having two peripheral groovesbetween said bearings extending spirally in opposite directions andintersecting and crossing each other, a frame f located rorreciprocating movements along said shaft between said bearings, two shoeelements engaging in said grooves approximately at diametricallyopposite sides of said shaft, and members having pivotal connection withsaid frame and pivotally supporting said shoe elements for moving saidframe alternately in opposite directions when said shaft is continuouslyrotated in one direction.

i v6o Mechanism of the character described comprising two axially alinedbearings separated by an intervening space, a shaft journalled forrotation in and having two peripheral grooves between said bearingsextending spirally in oppo- 4 site directions and intersecting andcrossing each each other and to said shaft, and shoe elementsl pivotallyattached to said members respectively and engaging in said groovesalternately and successively during constant rotation of said shaft inone direction, thereby imparting said relative longitudinal movements tosaid members and also moving said frame alternately in oppositedirections and holding said frame stationary during the time that saidshoe elements pass successively from one of said grooves to the other.

7. Mechanism of the character described comprlsing a shaft supported`for rotation in one direction and having two peripheral grooves, ofequal length extending spirally inopposite directions and intersectingand crossing each other, a frame mounted for reciprocating movementsalong said shaft, two membersllocated respectively at opposite sides ofsaid shaft and having pivotal connection with each other and With saidframe, shoe elements pivotallyV connected with said members respectivelyand engaging in said grooves alternately and successivelyduring constantrotation of said shaft in said one direction, thereby moving said framealternately in opposite directions, stopplng movement of said frameduring' the times that 'said shoe elements pass from one groove to theother and vice versa, and preventing percussion of said frame at theends of said movements thereof.

, MORTON B. CROWE.

HENRYHZATTER.

